Radiant heating device



May 17, 1966 F. J. PRINCE ETAL RADIANT HEATING DEVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 20, 1963 //L/ VEA/Tops.

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RADIANT HEATING DEVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 20, 1963 /NVE/VTORS.

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RADIANT HEATING DEVICE Filed Feb. 20, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 17, 1966 F. .1. PRINCE ETAL 3,251,356

RADIANT HEATING DEVICE Filed Feb. 20, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 .F755 rw 45 GOzL 45 SOc` "'\45 76, se 76o 2 T 'r4 72% T40 :A82 84a T L2 L2 g/Zb 92e Ll 98 f94b 96 74h 700 o 74a 7 3/ o nl v` 48a 76o 45 il Goof O 90b 42 90e 90C 48 1 2 sor/$777951 I 98 L, 98 98 Ll se 98a y f o TOb 7o i0@ 90d 92 L2 L2 90 L2 7o I /NvE/VTo/Ps iz y. i Z FRED d. ,DQ/Nee .Zl .il BY KONRAD E. BAUER JoH/v fosa/H SCHWAR Tz the heaters.

3,251,35 RADIANT HEATING DEVICE Fred J. Prince, Euclid, Konrad E. Bauer, Mentor, and

John Joseph Schwartz, Avon Lake, Uhio, assignors to Hupp Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Virginia Filed Feb. 20, 1963, Ser. N o. 259,821 1 Claim. (Cl. 126-92) This invention relates to heating equipment, more specilically to a gas-red, radiant heater for providing infrared radiation from an elongated incandescent radiant surface mounted in a tubular casing and preferably located in a generally vertical plane. This heater may be incorporated into a post which supports it from the ground or floor. The post may also support a lamp to provide light for the adjacent area. While this lamp may be gas or electric, the structure is particularly suited for use with a gas lamp since a supply of gas will be available to operate the heater. Provision may also .be made for an outlet to furnish gas to other adjacent gas burning equipment such as an infrared barbecue grill.

It is well known that gas-tired infrared heaters are particularly effective for 'heating exposed or outdoor areas such as lawns, patios, gardens, terraces around swimming pools, porches and recreation areas. Such applications present a problem of providing suitable means to support When infrared heaters are located within a building they can` be hung from the ceiling, suspended on structural members or attached to walls. In these outdoor applications, however, such means of support are not generally available, so that provision of suitable supporting structure has always presented a problem. It is usually desirable to minimize the oor space occupied by the supports and the cost of the installation must be as low as possible.

In the past such infrared heaters have usually been supported at elevations above the heads of the personsA to be warmed by the infrared radiation. It has been found that, particularly in outdoor applications, radiation directed downward is less elective in warming the bodies of persons standing or seated than radiation directed horizontally from radiant surfaces oriented in a vertical plane. Overhead heaters unless elevated to a considerable height tend to make the persons head uncomfortably warm.

'United States Patent O gas hose to a gas barbecue or grill. While the tubular casing or post can have any desired shape such as circular, hexagonal or rectangular, it has been found that a structure which is very economical to produce and which is very pleasing in appearance is obtained if the cross section of the tubular casing is square, with an elongated opening in one of the elongated flat surfaces of the casing, the radiant face of the burner forming a closure for the opening. Hence it is a further object of the invention to provide a heater structure incorporating an elongated prismatic tubular casing of square cross section with an elongated opening in one of its elongated flat surfaces, an elongated burner being supported within the casing with the radiant face of the burner forming a closure for the opening, the radiant face being parallel to the surface containing the opening and directed to emit radiation to the spac outside of the casing. Y

In another form of the invention, the opening is at the cornerof two adjacent ilat surfaces of the post, so that the radiant face which forms a closure for the opening-is at an angle of 135 degrees with each of the adjacent liat surfaces. Thus it is a further object of the invention to provide a heater structure incorporating an elongated prismatic casing of square cross section with an elongated opening in two adjacent elongated surfaces thereof, the opening being at the corner joining these surfaces and symmetrical with the corner, with aburner supported within the casing; the radiant face of the burner forming a closure for the opening and being at an angle of 135 degrees with each adjacent surface of the casing and directed v to emit radiation to the space outside of the casing.

When so elevated, they are less e'cient for outdoor heating than heaters having a vertical surface placed at body height.

It is an object of this invention to provide a gas-tired infrared heater which is especially suited for outdoor use and which includes a tubular casing which encloses all of the heater parts except the exposed radiant face, the reector and the guard, and which is particularly designed to permit its installation with the radiant face in a vertical plane, affording protection from adverse effects of Wind, rain, snowand/ or ground water, minimizing thespace occupied and presenting an attractive appearance appropriate for use in a patio or garden.

A further object is to provide such a heater in the form of a post, the necessary services such as gas and electric lines entering from beneath the ground or floor on which 4the post is supported, or into which the lower end of the The heater is especially adaptable for use with a gas light,'

since it incorporates a gas supply line for the heater, which can be extended to supply -gas to the light. cooking is very popular, the structure may include a branch gas line which can be connected as by aflexible Since outdoor.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a burner which is especially suitable for incorporation in elongated heaters such as have been described hereinbefore. These burners must be very long and of small width and depth to t into the space available. For example, the casing may lbe a post ve inches square and extending six feet above the ground. The burner may have a radiant face two inches in width but four feet long. To facilitate installation and servicing, it is desirable to connect the gas supply and provide the controls all at one end. In the case of a heater constructed as a post, these parts should be at the lower end of the burner. This configuration results in diiiculty in obtaining a uniform distribution of the mixture and a uniform temperature on the radiant face from one end to the other, particularly Where the burner is vertical and the natural draft tends to cause the mixture to flow rapidly to the upper end. This problem has been solved in the burner incorporated in the present invention.

While the structure of the radiant face of this burner as illustrated in the forms of the invention shown herein is similar to the radiants described in Patent No. 2,775,- 294 to Gunther Schwank, other types of radiant perforated faces may be substituted therefor, the structure of the radiant face itself'forming no part of the present invention, except for the means by which it is incorporated into the heater. The structure of the burner incorporated in the heater of the present invention is not only particularly suited to the application and very effective, providing uniform temperature over the radiant surface and uniform distribution of the radiation, but is very cheap to produce. Y

In this burner a gas-air mixture is introduced through an inlet conduit to a distribution chamber with which it communicates. One wall of this chamber is formed by the radiant face, which has perforations through its thickness, through which the mixture passes, to burn on the outside of the face, heating it to incandescence. A reradiator, such as a screen, outside of the radiant face, increases the infrared emission.

In the heater of the present invention, the-inlet conduit is preferably at one end of the elongated burner ?atented May 17, 1966 t and in communication with the interior of the distribution chamber at one end thereof. Where the axis of the heater is vertical, the inlet conduit is preferably in communication with the interior of the chamber at the lower end.

The distribution chamber is preferably tapered from a maximum cross sectional area at the mixing tube end to substantially no area at the other end. The chamber may have any desired transverse section. For example it can be rectangular, triangular or D-shaped.

The inlet conduit is normally a conventional venturi mixing tube, gas entering from an orifice in a spud at the end of a gas pipe and inducing a ow of air through the open end of the venturi tube, the mixture flowing through the venturi tube to the distribution chamber. A straight tube may in some cases be substituted for the venturi tube and other means may be provided to supply a gas-air mixture to the tube. For example, the space around the open end of the tube may be supplied with air under pressure as from a blower or premixed gas and air may be supplied at the end of the tube.

Adjacent to the orifice, upstream therefrom in the gas pipe, a gas valve is provided. This gas valve may be a manually operated plug valve, a safety valve which cuts off the gas flow if the flame at the burner is extinguished or a control incorporating a gas pilot and/or an electric ignitor or other kind of known ignition and/ or gas control apparatus, such as a therrnostatic automatic control. The entire control may be housed within the heater casing, with an access door which can be opened to operate the control or the operating means may extend through the wall of the casing for operation from outside.

It is a further object of the invention to provide heaters of the types set forth hereinbefore, with divergent wings at each edge of the radiant face, the wings having reecting surfaces on the face adjacent torthe radiant surface to intercept and reflect radiation from the radiant surface and prevent scattering thereof in directions where heat is not required.

It is a further object of the invention to provide heaters of the types set forth hereinbefore, with guards to prevent accidental contact with heated surfaces and to eliminate fire hazard. Such guards may take the form of wire grids.

A further object of the invention is to provide heaters of the types set forth hereinbefore, in which the burner is supported from the casing by means which minimizes heat transfer from the burner to the casing so that the casing is not too hot to touch and does not become a re hazard.'

The casing may be constructed in various ways, provided that it is generally tubular, that is in the form of a long hollow structure which houses all of the burner parts except the radiant face, which is exposed through an opening in its wall, and an outside rellector surrounding the opening.

The elongated burner may be replaced by one or more shorter burners, although a single long burner is preferred.

The gas pipe may take the form of conventional iron pipe, copper or aluminum tubing or other type of gas conduit.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gasred radiant heater having a tubular casing, and which is especially adapted for outdoor use and as a support for a lamp, the heater being characterized by its compact construction, structural simplicity, minimum number of parts, low manufacturing cost, strong and sturdy nature, ease of assembly, attractive appearance, ease of use, and/or long trouble free life.

These and other objects of the present invention will become more fully apparent by reference to the appended claim as the following detailed description proceeds in reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of a lamppost radiant heater accordingto the present invention shown with an ancillary gas grill adjacent thereto;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary vertical section through the heater of FIGURE 1 taken generally on line 2 2;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section through the heater of FIGURE l taken on line 3 3;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal section similar to FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal section through the heater of FIGURE 1 taken on line 5 5;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary front view of the postlike casing of the heater of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a vertical section through the heater taken Von line 7 7 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 8 is a vertical section through a gas burner assembly of the heater of FIGURE 1 taken generally on line 8 8 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary front view of the upper part of the radiant heater of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 10 is a top view of a wire burner guard of the heater of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE l1 is a front view of a modied embodiment of a post-like radiant heater according to the present invention;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary side view of the heater of FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 13 is a horizontal section through the heater of FIGURE 1l taken on line 13 13;

FIGURE 14 is an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal section similar to FIGURE 13;

FIGURES 15 and 16 are horizontal sections through the casings of the heater, taken along lines 1S 15 and 16 16 respectively, of FIGURE l1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 17 is a side elevation of still another form of heater according to the present invention, with parts broken away to show interior construction;

FIGURE 18 is a rear elevation of the heater of FIG- URE 17 (with the rear cover plate removed to show interior construction) looking in the direction of arrows 18-18 in FIGURE 17;

FIGURE 19 is a sectional view of the heater taken along vline 19 19 of FIGURE 1S, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 20 is a fragmentary front elevation of the lower portion of a heater of the type shown in FIGURE l with casing shortened to rest on top of a floor and including means to attach the heater to the floor, a blower for supplying combustion air, an electric ignitor and a safety shutoff;

FIGURE 21 is a schematic circuit diagram of a safety .gas control system for heaters incorporating the present invent1on;

FIGURE 22 is a schematic circuit diagram of an electric spark ignitor system for heaters incorporating the present lnvention.

FIGURE 23 is a schematic circuit diagram of an electric glow-coil ignitor system for heaters incorporating the present invention.

FIGURE 24 is a schematic circuit diagram of an automatic safety control and ignitor system for heaters incorporating the present invention; and

FIGURES 25, 26, and 27 are fragmentary circuit diagrams showing modifications of the circuit shown in FIGURE 24.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGURES 1-9, inclusive, heater 25 has tubular casing 26 shaped as a prism of square cross section and composed of casing body 28, lower front plate 30, upper front plate A32 and cap 34. Casing body 28 is a long channel-shaped member formed of sheet metal with base 28a and legs 28h, the legs having flanges 28e turned inwardly at the open end of the channel, with lips 28d at an angle of 45 degrees with the flanges, lips 28a ending at edges 28e (FIGURE 3). Lower front plate 30Vis a flat metal plate, permanently attached across the lower part of the open front of casing body 28, as by spot welding it to anges 28e. Upper front plate 32 is formed as a channel having a base 32a and flanges 32h. Base 32a lies against flanges 28C while flanges 32b fit around and rest against legs 28h and are removably fastened in place by screws 32e (FIG- URE 5). x

The space bounded by edges 28e, the upper edge 30a of lower front plate 30 and the lower edge 32d of upper front plate 32 provides a rectangular opening 26a on the front face of tubular casing 26.

As shown in FIGURE 1, casing 26 has its lower end 26b supported in concrete base 36 within the ground 38. Cap 34 has a square cover 34a from which depend four flanges 34b which tit over the upper end 26C of casing 26. Flanges 34b are fastened to end 26e by screws 34e. Upper edge 32e of upper front plate 32 is below flanges 34b. Extending upward from cover 34a is cylindrical collar 34d which surrounds hole 34e in cover 34a, and which supports lamp 40 which has bottom collar 40a which lits around collar 34d and is secured thereto by screws (not shown). Lamp 40 may be an electric or gas lamp of any configuration, the structure of the lamp forming no part of the present invention. If the heater is installed without a lamp attached, a cap would be provided to cover the upper end of collar 34d.

Gas is supplied to heater 25 'through gas pipe 42 which v may be an iron pipe, copper or aluminum tubing, plastic hose or other type of gas conduit. As shown in FIG. l, gas pipe 42 extends horizontally about eight inches below the surface of the ground, entering casing 26 through a hole (not shown) in the wall thereof. If desired, gas pipe 42 can be run above ground. As shown in FIG. 20 the lower end of heater 24 is shorter and attached to the surface of a floor 44, with gas pipe 42 extending below through hole 44a. Two angles 46 are attached to the lower end 26d of casing 26 as by welding and are attached to floor 44 by screws 46a.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 4, gas pipe 42 within casing 26 is equipped with valve 4S. At the end of pipe 42 is spud 50 having orifice 50a.

If a gas light is to be incorporated into the apparatus, a branch pipe 42a which may be avcopper or aluminum tube or other conduit and which should preferably be flexible, may extend longitudinally through casing 26, with its lower end 42h connected into T 42e located in pipe 42 upstream from valve 48 and having its upper end 42d coiled to permit connection to gas light 4Gb incorporated into lamp 40.

To permit gas to be conducted to any other gas appliance, such as grill 52 shown in FIG. 1, another branch outlet 42d may be connected into another T 42e in gas pipe 42 also upstream from valve 48. Branch outlet 42d may extend through hole 26d in base 28a of channel 28, and grill 52 may be supplied with gas therefrom through gas hose 52a.

Within casing 26 is burner 54, comprised of inlet con.- duit 56, distribution chamber 58, radiant member 60, reradator 62 and reflector 64 (FIGURES 3, 4 and 8).

Distribution chamber 53 includes metal channel 58a which incorporates back wall 58h and side walls 58C to which channel 58a there is welded metal bottom wall 58d which is integral with short front wall 58e. The width of channel 58a is uniform, but the depth varies from top to bottom, channel 58a being substantially square at its lower end 5S]C fading away at its upper end 58g, where it is formed at 90 to provide a top closure 58h lover the top of radiant member 60. The open front of channel 58a above front wall 558e is closed by radiant member 60, which rests between side wall 58e and two angles 58j welded on the inside of side walls 58C, set back from the front edge thereof a distance equal to the thickness of suitable angle (such as 135 degrees) with respect to radiant member 60. Front wall 58e has lip 58e' which supports the lower edge of radiant member 60. Channel 58a has outturned flanges 58k at its open end.

Inlet conduit 56 is a Venturi tube having inlet opening 56a, throat 56h and outlet opening 56C. Outlet opening 56o is welded to the outside of bottom wall 58d around a hole 58e therein. Hole 58e is about the same size as outlet opening 56C. Inlet opening 56a is aligned with and adjacent to orifice 50a. As shown in FIGURE 8, conduit 56 may be formed in two longitudinal halves, each having two flanges 56d which are welded together. A bracket 56e may be welded to one of anges 56d and attached to spud 50 by encircling a portion thereof. Screw 56g yclamps bracket 56e to the Spud.

Radiant member 6i) has the structurev set forth in Patent 2,775,294 to Gunther Schwank, and consists of one or more ceramic blocks 69a having many small diameter ports ttb through its thickness. The structure of radiant' member 66 forms Ano part of the present invention and other types of radiant members with ports through their thickness (such as penforated plates, or metal screens) may be used in :place of ceramic blocks 69a.

To allow for differential expansion, prevent lleakage of gas around radiant member 60 and damage to member 6), blocks 60a are narrower than lthe width of channel 53a providing spaces 60C on each side of blocks 60a, these spaces being lilled with refractory packing material 60d composed ofl material such as asbestos or Fiberfrax. Overall length of member 60 is also less than the length of opening 26a providing similar spaces above and below member 60. Folded metal strips 60e with flat Wings 60f are pressed into material 66d in spaces 66C, compacting the packing and sealing the joint. Strips 60e are held in place by angles 6tlg, each of which has long leg 60h resting on wings 60]c and short leg 60]' perpendicular thereto. These parts are fastened together by a number of grommets 60k which are locked through aligned holes in flanges 58k, strips 60e and angles 60g.

Reflector 64 is formed of material which reflects infraredv radiation (such as aluminum) with -four walls 64a at a radiant face 60m of radiant member 60, so as to prevent undue scattering of radiation therefrom. Close to radiant V member 60, walls 64a on lthe top and two sides of reflector 64 have an extension at 64b which is perpendicular to radiant face 60m and has an int-urned liange 64C behind flanges 58k, at the outer periphery; reflector 64 also has lianges 64d turned out from walls 64a to form a flat `outer rim.

Extension 64b and fiange 64e are omitted at reflector bottom 64e, as can be seen in FIGURE 8, to facilitate assembly. Two angles 64f have short legs 64g welded to extension 64b on each of the two longer sides of reflector 64. Long legs 64.11 of angles 64f extend parallel to flanges 64C and have holes 64j aligned with grommets 60k.

Bolts 64k (with nuts 64m) pass through grommets k and rfasten reflector 64 to burner 54.

Reradiator 62 is a reticulated member such as coarse wire mesh and is located between short legs 69] of angles 60g and long legs 64h of angles 641. To prevent reradiator 62 from moving to the side, four tabs 64u are 'forme-d from each of long legs 64h, and areA parallel to short legs 64g.

Burner 54 is supported within `casing 26 with reflector extension 64b within `opening 26a and with radiant face 60m of radiant member 60 parallel to anges 2SC of casing body 23. Radiant mem-ber 60 is thus aligned with opening 26a and forms a closure therefor.

Four angular brackets 53m are welded to the outside of side walls 58C Iof distribution chamber 5S, one on each side close to the bottom, another on each side about midway oif the length of chamber 58V. These brackets have long legs 5811 adjacent chamber 58 and short legs 58p in a horizontal plane at the lower end of the long legs. Pins 58r extend down from short legs Sdn. Four angular supports 2Sf are welded to the inside of walls 28E), with long legs 28g adjacent to wall ZSb and short legs 28h on la horizontal plane at the top of the long legs. Supports 28f are each positioned directly below one of the brackets 58m with hole 281 in short leg 28h through which pin 581' extends.

Each lower bracket 58m has its short leg 58p in lcontact with short leg 28h of the adjacent support. Each upper bracket 58m has its short leg 58p spaced a short distance above short leg 28h of the adjacent support. This structure provides rigid support for burner 54, but minimizes yheat transfer to casing 26.

By removing plate 30, burner 54 can be readily taken out of the heater, if service is required.

Heater 25 is provided with wire guard 66 which is made of 'four horizontal wires 66a welded to six straight vertical wires 66h. Wires 66a are Iformed to a pentagonal shape with straight lengths 66C, 66d, 66e and 661 and stubs 66g, which stubs snap into eight aligned holes 28g in walls 28b. Lower front plate 30 has access hole 30a opposite valve 48, which hole is closed with a hinged door 30h, permitting ready access to the concealed valve for lighting the burner.

Door 30h has a knob 30e and a louver 30d to admit air for combustion.

As shown in FIGURE 20, a motor driven blower 70 may be provided to supply combustion air under lpressure to the interior of casing 26. Blower 70 may be outside or concealed within casing 26 and is connected to a source of power as shown in FIGURES 24, 25, 26 or 27. Such power air supply is desirable for installations subject to high winds.

An electric ignitor may also be provided to light burner 54. The circuit for spark ignition is shown in FIGURE 22 and the arrangement on the heater is shown in FIGURE 20. The spark ignition includes a switch 72, step-up transformer 74 and spark plug 76. Switch 72 is a normally-open momentary-contact switch which may 'be located either on the outside of casing 26 or concealed within the interior, behind door 30b `and is connected in the primary circuit through transformer 74 between power lines L1 and L2 and primary winding 74a.

Transformer 74 is a step up transformer adapted to transform ordinary A.C. (or interrupted D.C.) line voltage (such as 115 volts) to a high voltage, normally at a value between 4,000 volts and 10,000 volts. Transformer 74 is shown in FIGURE 20 as mounted on the front of casing 26, just below the bottom of reflector 64.

Sparkplug 76 has spark gap 76a adjacent to radiant face 60a, and is connected in circuit with high voltage winding 74b of transformer 74. Sparkplug 76 may extend through reector 64 at 64p and is suitably insulated therefrom at 76h. When switch 72 is closed, a circuit is established through primary winding 74a, generating high voltage in winding 74b and causing a spark to jump gap 76a which will ignite the gas at burner face 60a if valve 48 is open. In place of spark ignition a heated glowcoil can be used to ignite the gas.

Such a glowcoil may be directly connected to a source of current of suitable voltage, but for normal A.C. line voltage, the circuit shown in FIGURE 23 would ordinarily be used. It includes normally open, momentary con-` tact switch 82, stepdown transformer 84 with primary Winding 84a and secondary winding S411, and glowcoil 86. Primary winding 84a is connected in series With switch 82 to power supply lines L1 and L2. Secondary winding 84h is connected in series with glowcoil 86. When switch 82 is closed, glowcoil 86 Will be heated to incandescence and will ignite the gas at burner face 60a if valve 48 is open.

Valve 48 may be a safety valve, so as to shut ott gas flow if there is no combustion on radiant face 60a. Flame sensor 88 (FIGURE 20) prevents gas flow if its temperature is low, unless valve 48 is held open manually. An arrangement for accomplishing this is shown schematically `in FIGURE 21, and includes valve 48 in gas pipe 42,

flame sensor 88 adjacent to radiant face 60a, solenoid 48a, and manual actuator 48h.

Valve 48 is normally closed, but can be opened manually by pressure on actuator 48C, in direction of arrow 48C, which pressure will lift valve stem 48d by raising arm 48e, the valve remaining open during the duration of the pressure. Solenoid coil 48a is in series with flame sensor 88, which is a thermocouple. When the thermocouple is heated, current 'will iiow in the circuit which includes flame sensor'SS and solenoid coil 48a. This current is not great enough to cause coil 48a to raise valve stem 48d but coil 48a will hold valve 48 open, if the valve is first opened manually. Hence to light burner 45, the operator presses on actuator 48b, lights the burner at radiant face 6011 with a match or other ignitor, holding actuator 48b down until llame sensor 88 is heated suiciently so that the current in coil 48a keeps valve 48 open. If combustion stops, valve 48 will close and remain closed until it is again actuated manually.

Ignition and safety control can be combined to operate automatically by the arrangement shown in FIGURE 24, which includes solenoid valve 48, spark ignitor 76 with spark gap 76a, step-up transformer 74 with primary winding 74a and secondary winding 74b, iiame sensor 90, thermal relay 92 having resistor 92a and bimetal strip 92b, relay 94 having relay coil 94a and normally open contacts 94h, resistor 96 and switch 98. f

- Flame sensor 90 has bulb 90a, in communication with capillary 90b and flexible wafer 90e. These are lled with fluid, such as mercury, which expands when heated, to cause wafer 90C to depress arm 90d which Will open normally closed contacts 90e, compressing spring 901.

Current is supplied through lines L1 and L2. Switch 98 may be a thermostatic or manual switch to control the operation of heater 25. When switch 98 is closed, a circuit is established from line L1 through thermal relay resistor 92a, solenoid coil 94a, contacts 90e and arm 90d to line L2. Another circuit will be established through bimetallic strip 92b, resistor 96 and solenoid coil 48a of valve 48 to line L2, but the resistance of resistor 96 is so high that valve 48 will not open. Current through relay coil 94a causes contacts 94h to close, establishing two branch circuits. One branch is through transformer primary winding 74b to line L2 which induces current to ilow in the circuit through transformer secondary winding 74a and causes a spark at spark gap 76a. The otherbranch circuit shorts out resistor 96, causing increased current flow through solenoid coil 48a, opening fuel valve 48. Gas will then flow through pipe 42 to burner 45 igniting from the spark at sparkgap 76a.

Heat from combustion on radiant face 60a causes fluid in bulb 90a to expand, bulging flexible wafer 90C which depresses lever 90d opening contacts 90e. This opens the circuit through relay coil 94a, causing contacts 94b to open, cutting olf current through transformer primary coil 74b which stops the spark. Current continues t0 ow through bimetal strip 92b, resistor 96 and valve coil 48a. This current is suicient to hold valve 48 open, but not to open the valve if it is closed.

Since current is also cut off of resistor 92a, bimetal strip 92b will keep its contacts 92e closed.

If the burner fails to light within a short time or if the flame is extinguished, bulb 90a will not be heated, contacts 90e will remain closed and current will ow through resistor 92a, causing it to heat bimetal strip 92b which will soon open contacts 92C, cutting 01T current to coil 48a and closing valve 48. Switch98 must then be opened to restore the components to their original condition, Whereupon the burner can be relighted as soon as bimetal 92b cools.

Combustion can be stopped by openingswitch 98 which immediately cuts off current to coil 48a causing valve 48 to close and maintains transformer 74 de-energized.

As shown in FIGURE 24, blower 70 is connected directly between lines L1 and L2 in series with switch 70a,

- which completes the circuit through the blower when it is closed. As shown in the alternate arrangement of FIGURE 25, blower 70 is connected between contact 98a of switch 98 and line L2, so that the circuit through the blower will be completed Whenever switch 98 is closed to energize the burner control.

As shown in the alternate arrangement of FIGURE 26, blower 70 is connected between contact 98a and normalfly open contact 90g of thermostat 90, which will close when bulb 90a is heated by combustion at burner 45, so that the blower circuit will be closed only when the burner is in operation.

As shown in the alternate arrangement of FIGURE 27, blower 70 is connected in a circuit between contact 98a and line L2. The blower incorporates an air switch 70h,

which closes its normally-open contact 70e when the blower is operating. There are a number of commercial switches available which close contacts when a blower operates. Contact 70p` is in the circuit between contact 98a and thermal relay 92, so that the burner controls cannot function to start the burner unless the blower is operating to furnish combustion air.

Which of these various alternate circuits is incorporated into the heater depends on the conditions of use of the heater.

Heater 25 with tubular casing 26 has important advantages for outdoor use over prior type heaters.

(1) The tubular casing protects the enclosed burner parts from rain and/ or snow.

(2) The heater requires minimum oor or ground space if erected in a vertical orientation.

(3) The venturi tube is protected from the disturbing effects of gusts of wind and the effect of wind on the radiant face is minimized by its narrow shape with protecting wings.

(4) It is convenient to install the heater so that the radiant face is in a vertical plane, with radiation emitted in a generally horizontal direction at about the level of the bodies of occupants of the heated space, whereby the radiation is most effective in Warming the occupants.

(5) The narrow radiant face and reecting wings concentrate the radiation into about a 90 sector, reducing to a minimum scattering of radiation outside of the area to be heated.

(6) Fire hazard is minimized by the structure of the heater. y

(7) The heater can be rigidly supported at its lower end, providing stability and eliminating the need for brackets and hangers.

(8) The heater serves the dual purpose of heating device and lamppost, providing both heat and light for garden, terrace or patio. It also provides a source of gas for other gas appliances adjacent to it.

(9) Gas piping and/or electric wiring can be run underground or beneath the floor eliminating unsightly and inconvenient pipes or hoses to the heater.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGURES 1l to 16 inclusive, there is a tubular casing 126 shaped as a square prism with a burner 154 housed within casing 126, the front to back mid-section of burner 154 being on one diagonal of the prism, with the radiant face 60m of radiant member 60 of burner 154 in a plane parallel to the plane through the other diagonal of the prism. Burner 154 is videntical with burner 54 except for the reflector and the means for supporting radiant member 60. In this modiiication, the reector is part of casing 126 and is not attached to burner 154.

The burner has distribution chamber 158 including channel 158m which forms the back and side walls there'- of. Two Z-shaped strips 158b are welded along each side wall of channel 158a with inturned flange 158C inside of the channel and out-turned ange 15Sd outside of the open end of channel 158m Radiant member 60 is located within the space between strips 158b, with packing 60d filling openings 66e on each side of radiant member 60, the packing being compressed by strips 60e. Strips 60e are held in place by channel 158e having a base 158f, inner leg 158g and outer leg 158k with inturned flange 158]'.

Flange 15Sd of strips 158i), base 158f of channel 158e, and strips 68e have aligned holes through which grom mets 60k are fastened, holding the parts together,

Reradiator 62 rests on leg 155g and extends under flange 158]'.

Tubular casing 126 is formed of long rear rail 128, two angularretiectors 130, lower front angle 132, intermediate front angle 134, upper front angle 136, transition pieces 13S, angular cover 140 and top 32 which is the same as top 32 in the previously described form of the invention.

Rear rail 128 is formed as an angle with two legs 128m which are perpendicular to each other, each having a iiange 128b turned inward, perpendicular thereto. Said flanges are connected at their lower ends by lower front angle 132, which has two legs 1320 each of which terminates inside of one of ilanges 123b and is Welded thereto, as shown in FIGURE 16.

Directly above angle 132, cover 140 is attached, as by screws 140a to two strips 128C welded inside of anges 12811. Above cover 140, at the elevation of .radiant member 60 (which is the same as member 60 in the previously described form of the invention) two angles 128]c are attached, as by welding to the inside of each leg 128a. Each angle 1281c has leg 128g parallel to and spaced from one of llanges 128b to provide a space between ange 128!)` and leg 128g. The other leg 128k of each angle 128f is welded to leg 12811 of rear rail 128.

Eachreflector 130 has long leg 13011 extending into the space between leg 128g of angle 1281 and adjacent ange 128b, and has short leg 13% perpendicular to said long leg and turned toward the inner part of casing 126. Short leg 13019 terminates close to reradiator 62 and has lip 130e perpendicular thereto. Short legs 139b have reflecting surfaces to prevent undue scattering of radiation from radiant member 60 and lips 130C are spaced apart a distance approximately the same as the width of radiant member 60.

Burner 154 is supported from rear rail 128 in the same manner as burner 54 is supported. Between cover 140 and reectors 130 is intermediate front angle 134 with legs 134er perpendicular to each other and attached to strips 128e by screws 134b.v Legs 1:54a are beveled at their upper end to form a triangular notch 134C in angle 134. This notch is closed by transition piece 138, which is a triangular plate which serves as the bottom reflecting surface and fairs the casing into the plane of reradiating member 62, to present a pleasing appearance.

Between top 32 and reilectors 130 is upper front angle 136, which is similar to intermediate iront angle 134 but reversed in position. It is attached with screws 136b and has notch 136e closed by transition piece 139 (which isv the same as transition piece 138).l

Wireguard 166 is made of iive horizontal wires 166e welded to six straight vertical Wires 166b. Wires 166a are U-shaped with inwardly formed stubs 166C which engage in matching holes in casing 126. The same means to supply, ignite and control gas to the burner may be incorporated as in the previously described form of the invention.

A rlouver 171iin rail 1128 at the elevation of cover 149 provides means to supply air for combustion.

Heater 12S has the same advantages as heater 25. In addition, it is more compact, has a very pleasing appearance and is particularly suited to installations where one heater is to be located at each of the four corners of the area -to be heated.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGURES 17,

18, and 19, heater 225 includes two burners, 254 and 255.` Burner 254 includes inlet conduit 256, distribution cham-Y' ber 258, and radiant member 261i. Burner 255 includes 1 l inlet conduit 257, distribution chamber 259 and radiant member 261.

Burners 254 and 255 are adjacent to each other in end to end relation, with radiant faces 260a and 26'1a of radiant members 260 and 261, respectively, in a common plane so that they function in a manner substantially the same as a single continuous radiant face. The two burners are fastened to each other by bolts 263 through adjacent flanges 265 on the adjacent ends of distribution chambers 258 and 259. The distribution chambers and inlet conduits are made as castings.

Heater 225 has tubular casing 226 formed of front channel 228, rear channel 230, and rear closure plate 232. Front channel 228 and rear channel 230 are joined in reversed position to form a rectangular tube having a square cross-section.

Channel 228 has base 228:1 and two flanges 228b. Channel 230 has base 230a and two flanges 230i). These channels are joined by two strips 229, fastened as by welding to abutting adjacent flanges 228]] and 230b of the two channels.

Front channel 228 has rectangular opening 226a, With which the pair of burners 254 and 255 are aligned, the radiant members forming a closure therefor.

Rear channel 230 has rectangular access opening 22617, which is closed by removable rear closure plate 232.

A single reecting shade 264 around opening 226a is bolted to front edge flanges 25Sb and 259b of chambers 258 and 259 by bolts 259a extending through ange 264a of shade 264. A single reradiator 262 is supported in front of flange 264a by the same bolts. Gas pipe 242 is connected through valve 248 to T 242a, which is connected by pipe 242b to orifice Spud 250 which is attached to venturi inlet conduit 256, and by pipe 242e to orifice spud 251 which is attached to inlet conduit 257. Valve 248 may incorporate a safety control including a manually operated button 248a and a thermostatic element 248b. Valve 248 remains closed unless either (a) button 248a is manually held depressed or (b) element 248b is heated by combustion at radiant faces 26041 and 261a. If button 248a is depressed, valve 248 will open and the burner can be ignited. As soon as element 248b is heated, button 248 can be released and valve 248 will remain open.

Valves of this type are commercial products and the structure thereof forms no part of the present invention.

Heater 225 approximates the same general results as heaters 25 and 125, while allowing the incorporation of more conventional design burners. Other burner forms may be used, provided that they will fit into a tubular casing. Preferably the radiant faces should be adjacent to each other, but several separated burners can be distributed along the length of the tubular casing if the radiant faces are arranged so that one will light from another.

While all of the foregoing heaters are shown with their long axes vertical, which is usually the preferred orientation, they can if desired be placed With the axes in some other direction as, for instance, horizontal for installation on a wall.

Also, while it is generally preferable to have the radiant face vertical, it can if desired be in some other plane,

12 for example, with the long axis horizontal and the radiant face tilted as, for instance, if the heater were to be mounted overhead.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive with the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and ranges of equivalency of the claim are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A gas tired infrared radiant heater comprising a tubular casing having an essentially square cross section, said casing comprising an elongated longitudinal sheet metal channel with inturned anges on each leg at the open end of said channel, a at plate attached to both inturned flanges at one end of said channel, a removable cover extending across said flanges near the end of said channel remote from said plate, the edges of said inturned anges and the facing edges of said plate and said cover forming an opening in the side of said casing, an infrared radiant burner mounted within said tubular casing, said burner including a radiant member having ports extending through a Wall thereof, an inlet conduit and a distribntion chamber, the interior of which is in communication with said ports and with said inlet conduit whereby a mixture of gas and air supplied to said inlet conduit passes through said conduit, said chamber and said ports to burn adjacent the exterior of said radiant member to generate infrared radiation for emission from the exterior face of said radiant member, means for supplying gas and air to said inlet conduit, said radiant member being aligned with said opening forming a closure therefor and the external face of said radiant member extending parallel to said side of said casing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,487,776 11/ 1949 Cartter 126-90 X 2,628,609 2/ 1953 Bacon 126-595 2,654,219 10/1953 Zaba 263-19 X 3,040,805 6/ 1962 Lambert. 3,139,879 7/1964 Bauer et al 126-92 X FOREIGN Y PATENTS 558,007 6/ 1957 Belgium.

639,871 4/ 1962 Canada. 1,121,480. 4/ 1956 France.

OTHER REFERENCES Sun Heat Bulletin Form No. 546X26, published by Perfection, 1135 Ivanhoe Road, Cleveland, Ohio, Division of Hupp Corp., received Aug. 2l, 1962, see front cover and inside front cover.

FREDERICK KETTERER, Primary Examiner.

JAMES W. WESTHAVER, FREDERICK L. MATTE- SON, JR., Examiners. 

